News from around the 32 counties of Ireland

Northern Ireland was transformed into a winter wonderland two weekends ago when arctic weather made its way east – but the Antrim Borough escaped relatively unscathed apart from pockets of snow on higher ground.

With much of County Antrim under an amber warning from the Met Office, there was chaos on the roads on Friday, January 18, as motorists battled through the big freeze to get home for the weekend.
[Source: Antrim Guardian]
ARMAGH

Two cow carcasses found dumped in Creggan River recently has shocked and angered the local community and prompted Sinn Féin Councilor Terry Hearty to publicly condemn those responsible.

The dead animals were found along a stretch of the river popular with walkers in the Poet’s Glen.

Describing the perpetrators as “mindless individuals,” Councilor Hearty says they are beneath contempt and called on anyone with information on those responsible to contact the police or the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (D.A.R.D.).
[Source: Examiner Newspaper]
CARLOW

A family’s beloved pet dog is fighting for its life after it was savagely attacked by hounds on a weekend hunt, it has been claimed.

Gardaí (police) in Graiguenamana, County Kilkenny, have launched an investigation into the alleged incident, which happened at Bahana Wood, north of St. Mullins, in Co. Carlow.

Rene Jaggli said that he and his four sons – aged 10, 13, 16 and 17 – were in the woods with their dog Kas when hounds from the Carlow Farmers Hunt attacked their terrier.

"They just tore him apart. It was unreal, it was like you see in a horror movie," Mr. Jaggli added.
[Source: Irish Independent]
CAVAN

Over $21.5 million has been allocated to Cavan County Council for road improvement and maintenance under the 2013 National Roads Allocation.

Fine Gael T.D. for Cavan and Monaghan, Deputy Joe O'Reilly, has welcomed the grants as announced by the Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar.

"I am delighted to have been informed by Minister Varadkar that [$20,804,025] was allocated to nine roads throughout the county for general improvements and [$693,933] was allocated to the council for winter and safety maintenance," said Deputy O'Reilly.
[Source: The Anglo Celt]
CLARE

Up to 54 houses in a West Clare seaside resort have been seriously devalued due to a “malfunctioning” sewage treatment plant, residents have claimed. A house at Westpark, Spanish Point sold for $567,000 during the height of the economic boom in 2007, but the current guide price for a house in the estate is $200,000.

Householders in the mixed residential and holiday home development have claimed their dwellings have been devalued to “next to nothing” because they can’t get certification of compliance due to issues surrounding the planning permission for the sewage treatment plant.

Clare County Council was initially alerted to problems with the treatment plant shortly after its installation in January 1998.

Senior executive chemist Mary Burke expressed a number of concerns about the operation of the plant on April 5, 2000, the Clare Champion has learned.
[Source: Clare Champion]

CORK

"Fear, isolation, and a lack of purpose."

These were among the reasons given by Pat Behan of Suicide Aware for an alarming rise in deliberate self-harm by males in Cork since 2007. According to figures released last Wednesday by the Men's Health Forum, there has been a 55 percent increase in deliberate self-harm in Cork City and county by males.

"We are finding," continued Ms. Behan, "that our helplines are becoming [busier]. People are frightened by cutbacks. In one case that we had recently a man was after being hospitalized for drinking paint stripper after finding out that his telephone allowance had been cut off and he could not afford the dispensing charge on his prescription. He did not die but he will suffer the ill-effects for the remainder of his life. People feel ashamed and useless and that they have no prospects because of this recession."

Ms. Behan continued: "The tragedy of suicide is far worse than anything else, particularly the reasons that lead to suicide. To hell with the recession, no matter what the problem is there is a solution. Anyone who is suffering has got to talk to someone about it."
[Source: Cork Independent]

DERRY

A judge has imposed a restraining order on a teenager that bans him from going near his mother’s home for three years.

District judge Barney McElholm imposed the order on Samuel Murray (18), of Northland Road, Derry, who pleaded guilty to criminal damage.

The court heard Murray arrived at his mother’s Limavady home in the morning. He asked her for money and when she refused she heard the sound of glass breaking.